


Hange Zoe X Reader Collection

by BunnyThatFlies



Series: Hange X Reader [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bakery, Character Death, Cute, Drunk Kissing, Eye Trauma, F/F, Female Hange Zoë, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Hange Zoë, Hange on the mind 24/7 and this is the solution, Most of these are Very Cheesy, Moving the nsfw works into a different story since it just makes sense to I guess, Nightmares, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, One Shot Collection, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prompt Fic, Romance, Sharing Body Heat, Spoilers, Weddings, because I said so, death mention, gratuitous fluff, hhhhh author is in lockdown and is slightly losing their mind, more fics for them, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27568759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyThatFlies/pseuds/BunnyThatFlies
Summary: A small collection of Hange X Reader prompts and oneshots that I wrote when I was bored during lockdown :3 (probably a mixture of female and non-binary Hange, since I like both :3)Chapter specific content warnings will be used ^^No update schedule, just uploading them as and when I write them.
Relationships: Hange Zoë/Reader, Hange Zoë/You
Series: Hange X Reader [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039621
Comments: 10
Kudos: 333





	1. "stay alive, please"

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thanks for clicking on this small lockdown project of mine, I'm deep in Hange hell.
> 
> Just a quick key:  
> (Y/N)(L/N) - your name and your last name  
> (E/C) - eye colour  
> (H/C) - hair colour  
> (H/L) - hair length  
> (S/C) - skin colour  
> (F/C) - fave colour
> 
> Also most of the stories will be in second person POV, and the reader is written from a female perspective, since that's what I'm most comfy with (though most of them are a little ambiguous so don't let that put you off!), and most of the stories will use they/them pronouns for Hange, though some may use she/her
> 
> Each chapter is its own little story so they're completely separate from each other
> 
> I'll put chapter specific content warnings for chapters with content that's less SFW, there may be some more NSFW chapters later on, or I may separate them into a different story, I don't know yet (second part of the series is the NSFW stories!)
> 
> Also posted on my wattpad account of the same name!
> 
> Thank you again, I hope you enjoy! ✨🥰

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Hange have been dating for a while, but you never could breach the subject of them never returning from an expedition. Until now, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Death mention, but it's mostly canon-typical stuff.

For as long as you've known Hange, every moment has been peppered with the slight fear that this one may be the last you spend with them.

And sure, you know their chances of staying alive through each expedition are high (they've been in the Survey Corps for so long now it seems unlikely they're at as much risk as the new recruits, for example), but it doesn't assuage your fears in the slightest. Especially when they're so determined, recklessly so, to find out everything they can about the titans.

"- and if we manage to capture some new titans on tomorrow's expedition, then maybe I'll finally be able to answer some questions I came up with last time!" Hange exclaims, pulling you out of your thoughts as their voice rose in volume. "Hey (Y/N), were you even listening?"

You smile weakly, trying your best to make it convincing. "Of course, I just…" Your voice trails off as your thoughts once again return to how you may not see them ever again. And there goes any hope of hiding it.

"What's wrong?" They ask, ever so observant, their mind constantly seeking answers to everything. It's one of their many attractive attributes that drew you to them in the first place, but right now you really wish they wouldn't pry. 

Bringing your legs up onto the sofa against the wall in Hange's office so you could be more comfortable, you prepare yourself to finally say what you've been holding in for years.

"I know what you do is important, don't get me wrong when I say this," you can feel their maroon eyes fixated on your own (E/C) ones, but you refuse to meet their gaze. "But sometimes, before your expeditions, all I can imagine is your body somewhere outside the walls, left behind by the others because it's too dangerous to retrieve you from the titans currently using you as a toothpick. And when the town bell rings, signalling your arrival back inside, there's always a part of me that doesn't expect to see you with the rest of them. Maybe you're one of the bodies in the white canvas sheets. Maybe all that's left of you is an arm or your head. Maybe I'll just have to hear from Erwin that you didn't make it this time."

Silence fills the office, nothing other than the quiet crackle of the candles lighting the room echoing against the walls. You dare to make eye contact, worried they might take what you said the wrong way. But when you do, you find only concern and adoration reflected back at you.

"I wondered how long it'd be before you mentioned it."

Frowning a little, and tilting your head to signal your confusion at your partner, you ask what they mean as they join you on the sofa.

"When we first started dating, I always wondered how you managed to never bring up the dangers of my job. I mean, wouldn't it make sense that that'd be one of the first things we'd discuss?" You nod your head slowly, suppressing a shudder as their fingers slide through your (H/C) hair lovingly. "But now I see, you were just worried I'd think you thought I was crazy for my job."

You can't help but laugh a little, shrugging your shoulders. Obviously they're right; you know how much they love their job, and how important it is to them. The thought of undermining it, or them thinking you are, is almost too heinous to entertain. "I mean, you're right. But I think it was more that if I didn't have to bring it up then it wasn't something I'd have to think about more."

Hange smiles, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. "Well, that's silly. Thoughts don't work that way, dear."

A smile matching theirs graces your lips, but it feels more like a grimace to you. "I still don't want to think about it. It almost feels like talking about it will make it a reality. And before, when we were new, it just felt like too soon, you know? We weren't serious then, I didn't want to burden you or… Or anything like that."

"Cute…" Hange whispers, mostly to themself, fingers still tangled in your hair. "Well, we're serious now. We can talk about it, and maybe we can work something out for if a worst case scenario occurs. Or something just to give you some comfort when I'm outside the walls."

Contemplating for a moment, you nod. "Or… You could just… Stay alive, please?"

They hold eye contact with you for a while, and you feel a little childish under their gaze. Of course it's a ridiculous request, not really something they can ever guarantee, not even a regular civilian could give you that. But there's just nothing else that you could say in this moment that would fully cover what you want.

"Okay!" Their happy response shocks you a little, but you soon find yourself laughing along with them at the ridiculousness of the conversation. "I won't die until you say I can."

And though you know they're clearly joking, all mirth and sweet love as their lips gently meet your own, Hange's response still fills you with the confidence to remind yourself tomorrow that they'll come back with everyone else, just like every time before.


	2. "midnight feast" and "can you brush my hair?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Moblit is injured on a trip outside the Walls, (Y/N) is tasked by him to make sure the Section Commander looks after themself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (No warnings for this one! It's just gratuitous fluff)

"Section Commander Hange, you wanted me to bring you this?" You announce your presence as you push their office door open and walk in, the paperwork you had just finished clutched tightly to your chest. The door shuts behind you quietly, so as to not wake anyone up that was asleep elsewhere in the building.

Hange turns slightly in their desk chair to meet your (E/C) eyes, their maroon ones tired under their oval glasses, a slight glare from the lamp on their desk reflecting on their spectacles only slightly masking the dark circles beneath. "Ah you brought the write up of today's experiment?" 

Placing the sheets down on the desk as they gesture for you to do so, you notice even more just how tired they are. "Have you slept recently?" You ask, voice softer now that you're much closer to Hange, close enough to see the slight bloodshot quality to the whites of their eyes. "Actually, have you even eaten or anything?" You don't remember seeing them in the mess hall at breakfast or lunch, and you guessed they also hadn't gone at dinner.

They shrug, the movement almost sluggish and unlike their usual energetic self, and it answers your question well enough. Ever since Moblit had gotten injured whilst capturing the most recent titan for experiments, you'd vowed to him to take over looking after the Section Commander, since they were notorious for getting way too absorbed in their work at the worst of times. But you'd been so busy yourself today that you struggled to even look after yourself, let alone another human. You had no idea how Moblit managed it.

"I've been too busy, (Y/N)," they offer up as a reason, but you frown in response, drawing a slight pinkness to their cheeks. "Moblit usually forces me to stop when it gets too late, and I… I just lost track of time today…?"

A hand on your hip, the other still on the paperwork you just brought in, you make sure to give them a pointed look. "Well, I'm Moblit whilst he's in the infirmary, and I'm telling you to stop working now."

Letting out a quiet 'hmph', Hange pushes their glasses up onto their forehead before letting their hair fall from its ponytail. "Fine. What time is it anyway?"

"Two AM, Section Commander." You answer easily, dropping the slight authoritative tone you'd taken on before.

"Ugh, that means the mess hall is closed so I can't get food. I guess I should just keep working then-"

"No way," you cut them off, giving them a stern look which they return. "We can sneak in."

"Wait, what?"

"We can sneak in and steal some food. If we're careful no one will notice," you begin to explain, tucking a few strands of your (H/C) hair behind your ear, a nervous habit. You'd been so sure of yourself just now, but now you feel embarrassed to even be suggesting such a thing to your higher up. "And then you'll be able to eat something before you go to sleep."

"Hmm…" Hange watches you with a look you can't quite decipher, voice gaining the tone they use when they're 'Section Commander Hange' and not just 'Hange'. "I never had you down as a rule breaker, soldier."

"Needs must," you offer as a way of explanation, hoping the way your cheeks are warming up under their scrutiny isn't obvious. "It might be easier if I just go on my own actually, less chance of getting caught."

"No way am I going to let you have all the fun," they say, tone still somewhat commanding but with a teasing element to it too. "I haven't snuck around base in what feels like years."

You try to stifle a little laugh as they begin to curse Moblit for being such a stickler for the rules, ruining their fun etc. When you had first been assigned to their squad, you'd only ever seen the side of Hange that most Section Commanders put out, commanding and strict. But the more time you spent with them, the more you came to realise that they were usually the exact opposite. Sure you'd heard the rumours of what they were like outside of being someone's higher up, but to see it for yourself was somewhat of an eye opener.

Still, to think they'd happily thwart the rules placed on the base regarding curfew just for some bread…

Shaking your head to rid it of your thoughts, you watch as Hange stands from the desk, some of their usual energy regained at the promise of food and excitement. Their brown hair, usually tied up away from their face, falls not-very-elegantly around their shoulders, messy and tangled from days of being mostly ignored, but you'd be lying if you told yourself you didn't want to run your fingers through it. Maybe just untangle it a little.

"Are we going? Or are you just going to stand there all night?" They ask, snapping you from your reverie. "Come on, the sooner we go the less likely we'll get caught."

You nod, following them out of the door and into the hallway. After years of living here, the both of you manage to successfully avoid the floorboards that creak the most, keeping the click-clack of your boots against the wood as quiet as you possibly can. Whereas before, when you were heading to Hange's office with the paperwork, you don't have a good excuse to be out, so being quiet is necessary.

An involuntary shudder runs through you at the thought of Captain Levi catching you and forcing you to scrub the mess hall from floor to ceiling as punishment. Scary.

A finger against their lips, Hange points to the mess hall door before opening it slowly. Thankfully, it doesn't creak, and the two of you slip in and head for the kitchen with haste. You grab two small bread loaves (one each, since you hadn't made it to dinner either, too busy) and two glasses of water, before moving to stand by the door again, waiting. Hange seems preoccupied with finding something in one of the cupboards, though what you don't know, but it gives you a moment to truly appreciate the way their shirt fits them, not so snug it'd be uncomfortable, but with them reaching up, snug enough that the lines of muscle in their back seem enhanced. You can feel yourself blushing from staring, and you mentally scold yourself as you look to the tiles on the floor.

This isn't new, and though you hate to admit it to yourself, it's certainly not surprising. Even before you'd been assigned to Hange's squad, you'd found yourself staring a few times too often in the mess hall, or across the training grounds, you'd even zoned out once or twice on expeditions, which had been the final straw for you, prompting you to avoid the other until you'd been placed under them, forced to interact. You didn't even know what it was about them. Sure they were interesting, but so were most of all the other Scouts, and they're certainly attractive, but again, a large majority of the people you come into contact with here are too.

"Hey, (Y/N), are you okay?" Hange asks, once again pulling you out of your thoughts. "You totally zoned out on me there."

"Ah sorry, I'm just a little tired," It's not a lie, you remind yourself, but Hange doesn't seem to buy it, cocking an eyebrow and giving you a look that says they know something you don't. "Really."

They narrow their eyes but say no more, thrusting their hands out in front of them to show you what they found. Two small round biscuits sit in their palms, covered in chocolate. You gasp, eyes wide. You haven't tasted chocolate since you were a child, and you almost don't believe that Hange actually has some. "Chocolate biscuits?"

"Mhmm! Erwin doesn't know I know where he keeps them, but I definitely know," a mischievous smirk plasters their face, and you can't help but match it with a grin of your own. "Let's hurry back before these melt. Did you get bread?"

"Yup, it's in my pockets," you answer in a whisper, following Hange once more, this time out of the mess hall and back into the hallway. "Midnight feast." You mumble, mostly to yourself, contemplating how best to commit this to memory.

Hange turns to smile at you brightly, nodding at your quiet naming of tonight's activities. You almost trip on your own feet, managing not to spill any water by some sort of miracle, blindsided by the beautiful look directed _only_ at you. _'Damn it (Y/N), calm down!'_ you scold yourself mentally, ignoring the way their small snort of laughter at your current expression sends butterflies through your stomach.

You shush them playfully, only causing them to laugh a little more, the door to the Section Commander's office now in sight just a few more steps away, before you both cross the threshold, Hange shutting the door behind you.

Letting out matching sighs of relief at not being caught, the two of you quietly cheer in celebration of a successful heist. "Nice one, (Y/N)," Hange hums, taking a glass of water from you and clinking it against your own in a faux toast. "To tonight's midnight feast."

"To the midnight feast," you giggle, seating yourself on a clear patch of the desk as Hange sits back in the desk chair. "The paperwork I brought tonight can wait til tomorrow," You chastise them gently as their hands reach for the stack of paper. "You've worked enough for one day."

"But you spent all that time writing it up, I want to read it."

Ignoring the way they pout at you, and the way their words make your heart flutter a little, you shake your head. "I'd rather you wait until you've had some food and some sleep, Hange."

They stare at you for a moment, once again with that unreadable expression on their face, before they relent, their hand moving from the paper to sit expectantly in your field of vision. "I don't think you've called me just Hange before."

You pass them a loaf of bread silently, searching their eyes for any indication that that's a bad thing or a good thing. Upon finding neither, you shrug as nonchalantly as you can. "We did just steal food together, and partners in crime certainly don't refer to each other with military titles."

Hange rolls their eyes jokingly, fingers touching yours briefly as they take the bread from you, unaware of the electric energy the touch leaves behind. "If you say so."

A comfortable silence falls as you both enjoy your food, your eyes fixated on the way their hair falls across their face, the way they seem transfixed on the quiet raindrops falling on the window panes opposite their desk, the reflection of the oil lamp on the lenses of their glasses sitting comfortably on their forehead.

Quiet moments with Hange are practically unheard of, so you make a concerted effort to commit this moment to memory.

"Did you see Moblit today?" They ask softly, so as to not disturb the otherwise quiet.

You nod, swallowing the food in your mouth before answering. "I did, he's recovering well, and he told me to tell you off preemptively for ignoring everything but your work."

Hange grins a little tiredly, finishing off their bread before taking a gulp of water. "He worries too much."

"Well he was right though, when was the last time you slept?"

"Didn't realise this was an interrogation."

"I'm just asking." You surrender, holding your hands up in front of you in a placating gesture that they scoff at.

Sighing, they rest their head on their arm and pass you one of the biscuits before tucking into their own. "The night before last."

"Hange! That's so long without sleep!"

"Hey, I've had naps. Besides, you're one to talk, working past midnight." Hange points out, watching the way you nibble at the chocolate around the biscuit. Unbeknownst to you, the way your (E/C) eyes light up at the sweet taste makes them feel the same energy you'd felt upon your hand brushing against their fingers.

You close your eyes to savour the taste even more, instantly reminded of why chocolate was such a delicacy. "If it means I'll get chocolate biscuits, I'll work past midnight every night."

They laugh wholeheartedly, finishing theirs off after, shaking their head and causing their hair to swish around their neck. "No, bad (Y/N). This is a special case scenario."

You pout but continue to slowly eat your biscuit, enjoying every bite as much as you can. "Meanie."

Hange just shrugs, playfully nudging your knee with their elbow before they sit up properly again, stealing your write up from under your nose. "Yep. I am your boss after all."

Disappointed that it's all gone but happy you had the chance to have one, you mourn the lack of biscuit in your mouth after you finish it, watching Hange's eyes scan over your handwriting quickly. You've been betrayed. "I thought I said no more work tonight."

"You were too busy eating to notice," they mutter triumphantly, taking a pencil from their desk and underlining something you wrote. "You're just very easily distracted, so I used it to my advantage."

You almost miss their last sentence, indeed distracted once again by the way their fingers almost gracefully grip the pencil, their other hand splayed out on the paper, index finger guiding their eyes along the words. Their glasses back on over their eyes make them seem bigger somehow, and it'd be easy to get lost in them.

"I'm… Not easily distracted." You say, pulling your gaze forcefully away from observing them, still trying to deny everything despite being caught out three times already in the past hour or so.

"You shouldn't lie to your Commander," Hange argues gently against your last statement, eyes never leaving the work in front of them. "It's bad form."

"I'm not lying," you retort, a little too defensively if the way Hange raises their eyebrows at you says anything. "Section Commander."

"Cold," they tap your nose carefully with the end of the pencil. "What happened to calling me Hange? Being partners in crime?"

You lose yourself a little in their teasing tone, scrunching your nose up from the tap. "You started working again and it annoyed me."

The pencil clatters noisily to the table as Hange drops it, pointedly pushing their chair away from the desk. "Fine, fine, I get it."

You grin in victory, laughing when they poke their tongue out at you. Moblit's voice echoes slightly in the back of your head, reminding you of his instructions from before.

_"Don't trust them, even if they say they'll sleep so you can leave, they'll continue with work, so you have to stay until you know they're asleep. Understood?"_

"-so you can go and get some sleep yourself now." You catch the tail end of Hange's next sentence, looking at you but not meeting your eyes. Liar.

"Nah, I'm on strict orders to wait until I'm sure you're asleep."

They groan in annoyance, disappearing into their adjacent bathroom (a luxury of being a Section Commander) without uttering another word to you. You take that as a sign of them accepting their fate, so you set about turning off all their lamps and making sure any candles are blown out, tidying their desk a little bit so it's more organised when they start work again in the morning. Finding a hairbrush in one of their drawers, you keep hold of it, along with the hair tie they usually use, before moving to their bedroom and placing both on their bedside table.

You hear the tap running in the bathroom as you pass by to grab a cushion for you to sit on since the chair in their bedroom doesn't have one, and on your way back you almost walk straight into their back. "Oh sorry, I was just-"

"No it's fine," they smile at you tiredly, changed into a bedshirt and comfier trousers than their uniform. "What's that for?" Hange asks, motioning to the cushion currently pressed against your chest.

"To sit on, the chair in your bedroom is uncomfortable."

"Oh," they nod, yawning behind their hand before leading the way into the other room, sitting on the bed. "Did you put the hairbrush there? I haven't seen that in weeks."

You nod affirmative, shutting the bedroom door and placing the cushion onto the chair. "Yeah, you should probably brush your hair before it needs to be cut off from all the tangles."

"Too tired, I don't want to," they huff, standing before sitting on the chair backwards, arms around the back of it, before you have a chance to sit down. You start to chastise them, but they cut you off. "Can you brush my hair?" You must take too long, stunned as you are, to answer, because they tilt their head backwards to meet your eyes, searching them for something, though you don't know what. "(Y/N)?"

"Uh um, yeah sure, of course," you stutter a little, picking the hairbrush up and standing behind them, ignoring the way their eyes continue to stare at you almost upside down. "Head up, I can't brush it like this."

Hange winks at you, making your face flush hot with embarrassment and something else you'd really rather not analyse in this moment, before they pull their head back up normally, letting you take some of their hair in your hand and start brushing from the ends first.

It takes a while to get the first few tangles out, but you find a rhythm and technique that seems to work well with Hange's mostly straight hair. Part of you feels honoured to be allowed this strange moment of intimacy with them, some quiet time just caring for them in a way you haven't been able to since you were a cadet, helping other girls braid each other's hair in the barracks before bed. The memory brings a smile to your face, though it is laced with the grief of knowing most of them that joined you in the Survey Corps are long dead.

"You're awfully quiet back there," Hange observes, their voice slightly deeper than usual, making them finally sound as tired as they must be. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just… Well, it's been a while since I've done this," you admit softly, still reminiscing, remembering how you'd all tell each other silly stories in the barracks, joking and messing around. You miss it a lot, you miss all of your old friends. "It's nice. Calming. I'm not being too rough?"

They laugh throatily, shaking their head once the hairbrush isn't in their hair. "Of course not, you're very gentle."

You smile, even though Hange can't see it, pleased with yourself at how silky smooth their hair now feels. You tap their shoulder, and they stand up to sit back on the bed. "Not done yet, just face me."

Trying not to let your hand begin to shake under Hange's stare, you bring the hairbrush through the hair that frames their face, realising you made a mistake when the brush snags on their glasses' frames. "Oops, sorry," you giggle softly, taking their glasses off of them ( _'ignore the fact you just touched their face, (Y/N)'_ ) and putting them down on the bedside table. You miss the way Hange watches you, a distant but hazy look in their normally clear eyes, but you can feel their stare at the back of your head like a burning sensation. "Just these two bits and then you can sleep."

You yawn, hand over your mouth, as you continue brushing their bangs, tears collecting in the corner of your eyes without your permission.

"Seems you need to go to sleep too," Hange points out sleepily, and you just hum in agreement, putting the hairbrush back and standing back to admire your work. "So, verdict?"

"You brush up nice," you tease, taking an absent note of the way they blush a little. "You should brush your hair more often."

Hange shrugs, getting under the covers and resting their head on the pillow, hair fanning out underneath. "Nope, it's boring. But it's nice when you do it for me," broken off by a yawn, they hold a hand up to signal they want to continue. "So, you know, you can do this again. If you need some quiet. Can't guarantee I'll be this tired though, so I might be more talkative. And it may not be as quiet."

Laughing, you sit on the chair and cross your legs, getting comfortable. "I'll keep it in mind. But for now, you should just focus on sleeping."

"Hmm, okay. Goodnight, (Y/N)."

"Goodnight Hange." You respond, leaning your head back against the wall and closing your eyes. You'll probably be here a while.

* * *

It doesn't take long for you to wake, your position different to how you remember it, but when you do, your eyes meet another pair across the room, the small amount of moonlight streaming into the room lighting them up. "Hange?"

You notice a blanket covering your body on the chair, and your head is on something a lot softer than the wall.

"Hey, sorry if I woke you," they whisper, seeming to be climbing back into the bed. "You fell asleep before I did, and I wanted you to be comfortable."

You nod slowly, lifting your head from whatever was soft (the bed) and sit back upright. "I'm fine now, sorry you felt you had to help me."

Hange frowns, moving over on the bed. "You, uh… Can sleep here tonight. I don't want you getting caught by Captain Shorty-pants going back to your room."

Frozen in place, you even hold your breath, as if unsure you're actually reading into their words right. "You mean… In there?" You point at the bed, confused but also hopeful. You mentally kick yourself for feeling hopeful, blaming it on your tiredness.

"Of course in here, you can't sleep in that chair all night," Hange reasons, their stare unnerving you, hair standing up on end at the back of your neck. "I just didn't want to wake you before. Come on."

Sighing, you leave the blanket on the chair as you stand, and join your superior in their bed (and you try your hardest not to read too much into the situation itself), sliding under the covers. It's kind of uncomfortable, because you're still in your uniform, but you notice your jacket isn't on you anymore. "Hange, did you take off my jacket and harness?"

"Yeah, they're in the office. I thought you'd be more comfortable without them." They say, leaning on one elbow to hover over you slightly, a smile gracing their lips. You wonder how they'd feel against your own.

"Thank you, but you really should've just woken me," you say, taking a few seconds to imagine Hange's hands on you, undressing you a little. _'Stop thinking like that!'_ From the quiet chuckle they give you, it seems your internal telling-off translated onto your face. "Why are you laughing."

"Stop fighting yourself, that's why you keep getting distracted."

You shake your head before you can help it. "No, it's you."

The bit of laughter stops, the smile on Hange's face falling a little. "What do you mean?"

Cursing yourself, you move to sit back up, watching as Hange moves back to let you do so. Your tired mind doesn't seem to have as much of a problem as your fully conscious one with being open about how the Section Commander makes you feel, and though you think it's dangerous, you commit to finally telling them.

"You keep distracting me. Your hair, the way it feels and how it falls around your face, your eyes, the way your glasses reflect almost every light source, the way you talk, the amount of energy you have, your excitement for titans and the experiments we do, how kind you are but also how commanding you can be when you want to. The way you smile at me, and laugh, both at and with me, the fact you gave me chocolate today. Your hands…" You trail off, sudden embarrassment at your confession filling you up until you feel like you might cry, or die.

_'So, this is how I die? Not a titan, but because I said too much to my crush. Great.'_

"(Y/N), it sounds like you have a crush," Hange teases, shuffling closer to you on the bed. Not angry, not disgusted, in fact, there's a distinct pink tinge to their cheeks that you can feel on your own, a smile where there should be a frown. "I knew you were staring in the kitchen. I thought you'd stopped that when you became one of my squad."

Digesting their words for a while, you stare ( _'really (Y/N)?'_ ) at Hange before letting out a strangled, "Wait what?!"

"You think I never saw you staring at me across the mess hall? Or watching me during training? I thought it was just because you were a new recruit then, fascinated or something, but you kept doing it, for years, and only to me. And even now I catch you staring at me, or getting embarrassed for seemingly no reason, as if you've been caught doing something you shouldn't. You're very obvious, I almost feel embarrassed for you too." They grin so wide it's a wonder their face hasn't split in two, but you frown instead.

"Why didn't you say anything then?" You poke them in the shoulder, wildly scandalised and nearing a mental breakdown. "Section Commander Hange!"

They laugh, grabbing your hand and holding it tight. "Calm down, it's fine, I never minded," Hange presses a kiss to the hand they're holding, and you almost die at the rush of blood to your face, butterflies doing a merry jig in your stomach. "In fact, I was always kind of flattered by it, if a little sure it wasn't what I was thinking. But… I see now that I really wasn't wrong, was I?"

And as much as you want to deny, to take it all back, to regain some sense of normalcy, you're too far gone now to ever truly really go back to how you both were before. "... No, you're right, I've always liked you too much."

Hange makes a sound that you would liken to a squeal, before they let go of your hand to bring their arms around your waist, tight, like they can't let go of you. "Well I like you too much too!" They plant a kiss to your forehead, and warmth blooms from where they touch you.

The two of you share a smile, before Hange yawns, this time almost violently, and it reminds you of what you were here to do in the first place. "Hange, go to sleep."

"Aww (Y/N)! Don't be a killjoy!" Hange whines, refusing to let go of you, even when you pull them down to lie down with you. "I want to talk about this."

You sigh as they manoeuvre themself to be more comfortable, still holding you close but now with an arm under your head as a pillow, the other over your waist and your head tucked under their chin. "In the morning, I'm tired."

"Fine," you think you've finally won, closing your eyes and tucking your hands against their chest comfortably, when they begin talking again. "But just so you know, I'm not going to be this easy to convince to sleep every night."

"Hange shut up before I knock you out."

"Love you too, (Y/N)."


	3. "apparently everyone has a bet going that we'll get together"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) thinks today will be like any other, but breakfast takes a chaotic turn that ends much happier than any normal day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings again! Just another excuse for a confession fic

Just a normal day, you thought, watching as soldiers flood into the mess hall, already sat at your normal table with an empty cup of tea and a bowl of slop that's meant to be porridge but just tastes of stale milk. The kitchen staff must have been angry at you for being up so early.

Only, you were vastly wrong about it being normal.

"Hey (Y/N)!" A cheerful voice stands out from the crowd, your closest friend in the Survey Corps, Hange, waving a hand at you from the doorway as they push past a gaggle of new recruits to reach you. "You're not usually here so early?"

You smile in response to their question, watching as they sit down across from you with their own tray, empty for the moment. "I woke up before sunrise, and just couldn't go back to sleep, so I came down here to annoy the cooks."

They nod dramatically, as though every word you have to say is drastically important. "Right. Gimme a sec I'll be right back! Gotta do some of my own 'annoying'."

You grin at their mannerisms as they skip over to the serving line, pushing in and using their superiority as a reason (much to the grumbling annoyance of the other soldiers who've been queueing for a while). "Hange don't cut the line!"

They turn and wave at you, either not hearing your words or just ignoring them, and you just roll your eyes good-naturedly, sacrificing your warm porridge in favour of watching the way Hange takes their food and says something that makes the cook threaten them with their ladle. They laugh heartily, garnering annoyed glances once again (and a few sideways looks towards you too, probably wondering if you'd save them from the overenthusiastic Section Commander (though you wouldn't, finding it amusing)), before they head to the drink station, and you turn back to your porridge.

Cups clink on their tray as they set it down before sitting again, feet nudging yours beneath the table. "Tea for you, my dear," Hange announces as they pass one of the cups to you, completely unprompted, and you accept it with a grateful smile. "Two sugars and a splash of milk."

"Just how I like it," you giggle, taking a sip of it and sighing in relief at the sweetness. The Survey Corps aren't usually graced with sugar, as it's such a luxury, but Erwin had felt that it'd be a good 'morale boost' since the last trip outside Wall Rose had been a tremendous failure. "You're a lifesaver."

Hange nods seriously, taking your free hand in both of theirs. "I really am."

The both of you stare for a moment before laughing, your hand still trapped in theirs.

"What are the two of you idiots laughing about now?" A bored sounding voice asks, eyes staring pointedly at the way you're holding hands as Levi sits next to you. "Aren't you being a little obvious?"

Hange frowns, still not letting your hand go even though you've been 'caught'. "Oh yeah, I forgot," they turn back to you, mirth in their mahogany eyes as you take another sip of the tea they lovingly made for you. "Apparently, everyone has a bet going that we'll get together."

You almost spit the tea out in shock, certainly not expecting those words to come from Hange's (very soft looking) lips, but manage to swallow it, starting a coughing fit. This draws the attention of quite a few people on nearby tables, almost all of them looking at you before your hand in Hange's.

' _ Walls, they aren't joking. _ ' You try to subtly pull your hand away but Hange grips tighter, and you shoot them a questioning look.

"I don't think anyone had today down as the day, if we want to make them lose all their money," they lean in closer to you and whisper, a conniving tone to their voice that you easily recognise as their 'prank' voice. "They'll have to pool all their money in for the winner of the next bet, if I kiss you now."

"What are you talking about?" Levi scoffs, leaning in to the both of you as well, before you even had a chance to understand Hange's words. "That means Erwin and I will win."

Confused and a little betrayed, you frown at him. "Excuse me? I thought the Commander didn't approve of betting in the Corps?"

Another tray lands on the table, and you lock eyes with said Commander. "Sorry, the two of you are a little too close, I couldn't lie and say I didn't think you'd end up together."

Groaning, your head falls to the table, one of Hange's hands moving from yours to your hair to start stroking it gently as you continue bemoaning your existence into the old wood. "What's happening…?" It comes out muffled, but you'd rather keep your head down so no one sees the embarrassment and heat on your face. "Why did you bet on today?"

"Why not?" Levi retorts, voice dry, and you hear the sound of his teaspoon dropping to his tray. "We can push you two together and win the money. It's a win win situation for everyone involved."

"That's underhanded, Shorty, and definitely cheating," Hange scolds, still petting you like you're a small fluffy cat they found on the street. "I'd expect better from the Commander and his right hand man."

"Hange, you started the bet,  _ that's  _ underhanded."

Your head shoots up off the table so suddenly you feel like you have whiplash. "Excuse me?!"

Hange at least has the decency to look sheepish, bright red splotches of colour filling their cheeks beneath their glasses, currently staring anywhere but at you. "I d… Don't know what you mean, Erwin."

"Hange Zoe, explain yourself right now," You kick their shin under the table, hard enough to hurt but not bruise, taking idle note of the way you're both still holding each other's hand. They mutter a curse at your kick but not much else, so you do what needs to be done and give their hand a tight squeeze. "Hange!"

They spare a glare at the two men beside you both, who seem rather pleased with themselves, before sighing and meeting your eyes, finally. There's guilt and shame there, you notice with a small amount of empathy, but beneath that is something you've always noticed in their deep brown eyes, but never really managed to decipher. "I… May or may not have started this bet a week ago before putting it on Mike and Nanaba to continue, swearing them to secrecy, which clearly didn't hold. And then I just waited to see if you'd hear of it."

"Why mention it yourself?"

Levi coughs loudly and you glare at him, and for once he doesn't continue with whatever he wanted to say, sensing how important this was to you.

"... I was bored of waiting? And I didn't know these two placed bets on today, otherwise I'd have waited another day so they'd lose too."

"But that doesn't answer why you made the bet in the first place! You're avoiding the obvious question that I want answers to the most!"

And by the Walls do you want that answer, too scared to be hopeful that maybe, just maybe, Hange might like you as more than a friend or comrade. You need to hear it from them, in their crazily addictive voice, from their very kissable lips. Because maybe you like them as more than a friend too.

You're so invested in hearing what Hange has to say that you don't even notice how literally everyone else in the mess hall is too, your current situation forming quite an audience.

"... Because I needed a final push to say something to you? I've known you for years but never had the courage to really tell you how I feel about you so I just… Did what I felt would finally force me to tell you?" Their eyes, still holding your own (E/C) ones in a fierce gaze, seem to have finally lost that bit of shame that was there just now, and you feel you can confidently identify the other emotion in their eyes; love. "If I hadn't I might never have had the chance to tell you I love you."

There it is, that confession, one you definitely hadn't been expecting when you started your day, but one that you're overjoyed to be experiencing now.

"Goddamn it, Hange, just kiss me," You say on an exhale, barely loud enough to register to anyone besides your own table, and you thank whatever deities there may be that they seem to take the hint without much more prompting, standing from their bench to lean over the table, the hand you aren't squeezing sliding from your cheek to your chin to lift your head up to meet theirs. "I love you too."

Hange smiles brightly, and you have the luxury of feeling it against your own matching grin as their lips meet yours, the kiss soft and unhurried, as though the two of you aren't in the middle of breakfast, kissing over gross porridge right in front of your boss. Vague groans of disappointment echo throughout the room, along with a few cheers, and you feel your cheeks warming up at the attention, but Hange doesn't let you pull away yet, still keeping you in place with their fingers under your chin.

And it's nice, you think to yourself, feeling their hair brush against your face, the way they seem to almost breathe new life into you the longer the kiss goes on, how warm and full of love the whole gesture is.

That is, until Levi tells you both to get a room, and Hange pulls away to tell him off for disrupting the moment.

"Be quiet, Four-eyes, you got what you wanted," he points out, glancing at you to find your eyes glassy and face dazed out. "Me and Erwin won the bet too, so I'm happy for you both."

The Commander laughs quietly, even when Hange turns their glare onto him, letting his usual stoic nature drop a little. "Well your plan did work, Hange, so he's not wrong."

"You kissed me." You murmur, index finger tracing your bottom lip as if to confirm Hange's were there just a second ago.

"Yep! And I'll do it again." They laugh at your dazed expression, your eyes following the people passing their bet money to Levi, still caught up in the confusion and joy of the last few minutes.


	4. "art deco"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple night out turns into something more in the back of Levi's car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Warning for alcohol and both (Y/N) and Hange being drunk and making out, and author not really knowing what else to write)
> 
> Inspired by [ this song here ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbLGjeR9bvI)!

The cool air outside of the club is like a soothing balm against your sweaty skin, a soft autumn breeze blowing your (H/C) hair away from your face. "Ugh, I'm starving."

Hange laughs, arm slung around your shoulder as the two of you stumble out of the nightclub you were both in, ignoring the way Levi tells you off for drinking on an empty stomach.

"Hey, it saves money, don't be so boring," your voice is slurred a little, drunk enough that you have to hold onto Hange's jacket so you don't trip but not so drunk you can't think. "Gets you drunk quicker."

"Technically, it also causes damage to your stomach," Hange points out, also very drunk themself. "But I'm hungry too, let's get kebab!"

"You're so smart," you drawl, your head nudging their shoulder. "Kebab is the best idea you've ever had."

Levi sighs, watching the two of you wander down the street, definitely against getting a kebab from a takeaway in this area, because there's no way they'd have a good hygiene rating, but Erwin pulls him along, unwilling to leave their best friends alone for too long. "Gross."

"They're having fun, and I'm sure whatever kebab shop they end up in will be perfectly fine." The tall blond rationalises, somehow level-headed despite also being drunk himself, and Levi acquiesces, still grumbling a little.

"Hey guys! Stop taking so long!" Hange calls out to the two of them, stopping you from walking away from them as their hand slips down into your own and grips tight. "We're hungry and you have the money!"

Levi frowns, poking the brunette once he's close enough and ignoring how they complain. "Why can't you pay for it?"

"Cause you're rich!" You laugh at Hange's sudden shout, the noise making you feel lightheaded as you stumble a little on the cobble pavement, your heels getting stuck between the bricks. They grab your waist to stop you from meeting the floor and you flash them an embarrassed smile, flushing at the way they return it but confidently. "Careful there, darling, don't want to fall over."

"If it means you'll catch me again, maybe I'll have to make a habit of it," you laugh obnoxiously, straightening yourself up when a bright neon light catches your eyes. "Ooh look! That one's open! Let's go!"

You pull Hange across the road, knowing Levi and Erwin would be following you both.

* * *

"Best. Idea. Ever." You exclaim, throwing your hands in the air as the four of you walk back to the car, stomachs full with delicious unhealthy food. You also feel a little less drunk, but still hazy enough to lean on Hange more than you'd ever let yourself normally.

"You two shits in the back, I don't want to hear you doing anything weird," Levi orders as you all arrive at the car, pointing at you and Hange as he climbs into the driver's seat (this week's designated driver). "No throwing up."

"Yes sir!" The two of you salute him in sync, before laughing about it together, not noticing the way both Erwin and Levi roll their eyes at you.

The drive after that becomes mostly calm, the centre of town about an hour away from the flat the four of you share. Bright streetlights light up the car in waves, sometimes casting you in a gold light, otherwise drowning the car in darkness. Soft music plays in the background, Levi and Erwin discussing something though you're not entirely sure what, all of the noises dragging you down into a calm state of mind.

And then you turn your (E/C) eyes away from the window, and you meet Hange's cinnamon ones, golden lines in their hair, a look on their face like they've just seen an angel, and you can agree, because in the back of Levi's car, staring at your flatmate and best friend, you can't help but look on in awe.

" _ Club queen on the downtown scene _

_ Prowling around at night _

_ You're not mean, you just want to be seen _

_ Want to be wild _ "

Something seems to click, the gentle harmony of Lana's voice driving you forward until your lips are pressed against Hange's, stretching across the width of the car to kiss them before you chicken out, right hand on their shoulder, left on the middle car seat to keep you from falling back into your own seat, eyes sliding shut.

It starts off slow, Hange shocked and far behind you in cognitive recognition before it dawns on them what's happening. Your alcohol-confidence begins to waver suddenly, their lips still against your insistent ones. But they don't give you a chance to pull away, both of their hands holding your face almost reverently, licking against your plump bottom lip as if asking for permission to deepen the kiss. It feels like second nature to open up for them, your hand moving from their shoulder to tangle in their maroon hair, holding on like they might disappear the moment this kiss stops.

Their tongue tastes of cheap beer and kebab, but your own probably doesn't taste much better as they take the opportunity to claim your mouth. Although maybe it's nicer since you had strawberry lipgloss on, you think absent-mindedly, sliding your tongue against theirs almost as an afterthought.

It feels like forever before you both break away, but it can't be, the song still playing quietly in the background, the other two still softly murmuring to each other with no clue about what you're both up to. You almost don't want to open your eyes, scared that when you do you'll find Hange with an expression that conveys regret or disgust.

A soft gasp, hands still on your (S/C) cheeks, a gentle whisper. "(Y/N)..."

You brave the storm and open your (E/C) eyes, finding Hange almost close enough to kiss them again, eyes wide behind their glasses but clouded over with  _ something _ that makes your stomach jump pleasantly, pupils blown so wide you almost can't see the brown of their irises. "Hange…"

Moving back into your seat after untangling your fingers from their hair, so you won't get caught by Levi who told you not to do anything weird (and he'd definitely class this as weird), your left hand is gripped tight by Hange's right, a silent assurance that they don't hate you for kissing them.

The rest of the ride you spend staring out the window again, watching the night pass you by, a pleasant warmth rushing through you as Hange plays with your fingers distractedly. You just hope neither of you are so drunk you'll forget by the morning.

" _ A little party never hurt no one _

_ Not you and me _

_ A little party never hurt no one _

_ We were born to be free _ ."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda don't like this one, it feels a little... Strange lol. Maybe cause it's modern au, idk. Anyway, hope it wasn't too bad! (kebab is one of the main 'drunk foods' where I'm from lol)


	5. "my tie is too tight"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Mike and Nanaba's wedding, and your wife is Mike's best man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (No warnings, just Hange in a suit 😳😫)

"(Y/N), can you pass me my tie please," your wife asks, eyes pleading jokingly with you as you rush past her to find your mascara. "I know you're busy but I like it when you do it for me."

You roll your eyes, throwing the long piece of silk at her head before resuming your search. "I'm busy, find someone else to tie it for you."

"Ouch, rejected." She feigns being shot in the heart, and you turn to watch her performance with loving annoyance. You really do love her, but she could definitely have asked once you were done with your makeup.

Turning away, you continue looking, triumphantly holding the tube of mascara in the air like a trophy before disappearing out of the bedroom and back into the bathroom to finish getting ready for the wedding. "Hange do you have the rings?!" You call out to her, carefully applying the black liquid to your eyelashes, making sure it doesn't transfer onto your eyelids.

"Um yeah, they're in my pocket!" She answers, peeking her head out of the bedroom and locking rich brown eyes with your own pretty (E/C) ones. "I'm not that forgetful."

"Had to check, love, I know how excited you are," you tease, beginning to brush out your (H/C) hair before you style it just how you want it. "But Mike wouldn't hesitate to kill you if you forgot his rings."

She laughs, adjusting her tie before undoing it to start again, disappearing back into the bedroom to re-tie it in front of the mirror. "Nanaba would stop him!"

"No they wouldn't!" You spend the next few minutes finishing your hair, and finally you're ready, with only half an hour to spare before the two of you are due at the venue. Looking at your watch, you take a moment to breathe and recollect yourself, then start rushing around the house and grabbing things you'll need to take to the wedding. "Hange's speech, perfume, gift, invitation, rings, spare shoes… Rings?"

Hange runs down the stairs and stares at you as you show her the box with both of the rings in it, and she laughs awkwardly. "Well, it's a good thing the best man has a wonderful wife, right?"

"Hange you said these were in your pocket," you accuse her of lying, a glint of mischief in your eyes as you pull her down into a kiss with her tie and slip the box into said pocket. "Don't lose them."

"I won't lose them," she shrugs casually, as if she didn't nearly leave them in the house. "Don't look at me like that."

* * *

The ceremony was a success, though you mostly spent the entire time staring at Hange (because God she looks good in a suit), and the rings were successfully handed over without any further problem.

Everyone had gathered outside on a grassy area, surrounded by beautiful blossom trees, for the photos, starting with the newlyweds and then branching out to bridesmaids and groomsmen and family. You watch from the sidelines, wincing a little at how uncomfortable Hange looks, before you're ushered in as everyone but her and Mike and Nanaba move out of the picture view.

"Hey, what's up?" You whisper in her ear between photos, when her face falls from the smile.

"My tie is too tight," Hange admits as the photographer mentions wanting to take some more candid shots. "Can you fix it? I can't seem to work it out."

"Sure," you nod and smile, taking the silk into your hands and start working the knot open, the fabric stiff but coming undone under your nimble fingers. "Maybe I should have tied it for you earlier."

Looking up at her, you smile brightly before patting the tie and pressing a kiss to her cheek as a shutter sound clicks from across the ground. "All done!"

"Hey, it's my wedding stop stealing my thunder by being cute." Mike taunts with a deadpan voice, snapping you both out of the moment, but he smiles nonetheless, and you all laugh about it as you head in for the post-wedding meal.

The photo of you fixing Hange's tie at the wedding soon becomes your favourite picture of the two of you, earning a prize spot on the mantelpiece in your living room, right next to your own wedding photos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how cheesy


	6. "it's just a nightmare, i've got you"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a strange nightmare, and somehow, it just feels too real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (SEASON 3 SPOILER WARNING!!! Warning for eye trauma and death of a character, this one is kinda sad)

_You're running through your hometown of Shiganshina, a happy laugh falling from your lips as you chase a cat around the streets. For a moment, everything feels… Normal, and you wonder why there's a distant feeling of dread sitting in your chest. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the cat is a slippery little fellow, leading you through back alleys and houses._

_The lack of people doesn't disturb you. Somehow it feels right that they aren't there._

_Flowers pop up between the cracks of the streets, and you trip on a few boulders that you're sure shouldn't be there. But it doesn't bother you, determined to catch the cat before… Well you're not sure before what, you just know it matters._

_A sudden guttural scream echoes through the empty streets, rattling your bones, but you keep following the cat, trying not to look around you as you begin to hear loud 'swooshes' of air fly overhead. People are shouting, a voice you recognise giving orders to the others, and the cat stops at a well and sits on top of it. You frown, but sit with it, knowing here is where you're meant to be._

_Time passes by in a way you've never experienced it, slow and yet fast at the same time, one minute feels like an hour but you blink and minutes have passed. "Hey kitty, do you know what's happening?"_

_"You're meant to be here." The cat says, and you shrug, as though the cat is meant to talk, the same way you're meant to be here._

_Don't leave, keep waiting, something will happen soon._

_Looking up, you watch streaks of dark green and white bursts of compressed gas fly past above you, before a bright blinding light encompasses your vision. A shout before a body tumbles into the well behind you, you following behind. Incredible heat hits you hard, but when you open your eyes, you see Hange, blood pooling behind one of their goggle lenses, now cracked, can hear the way they grieve for the soldier that just saved them (oh god, Moblit) and-_

"(Y/N), hey, it's okay, it's just a nightmare," Hange shakes you awake, both eyes perfectly fine, studying your face with worry and apprehension. "I've got you."

"Hange?" Your voice sounds wrecked, and you feel tears drop onto the bedsheets currently clutched against your chest like a safety blanket. "You're okay…"

They nod emphatically, smiling softly at you, the panic in their eyes fading as your crying slows down. "Only worried about you. Otherwise I'm perfectly fine."

Sighing to yourself, you stare up at the ceiling, wishing you could forget the dread you felt watching Moblit sacrifice himself to save Hange. "Do you think Moblit's fine?"

"I'm sure he is. Do you want to talk about it?" Hange asks, pressing a calming kiss to the top of your head afterwards.

You shake your head a little, wanting nothing more than to push the nightmare out of your mind forever. Slowly, the two of you fall back to sleep, but the feeling of dread sitting on your chest from your dream only grows as the Survey Corps start to plan their retaking of Wall Maria, the nightmare visiting you every night.

So when Hange returns home, surrounded by a tiny fraction of what the Survey Corps used to be, missing their left eye, no sign of Moblit to be found, guilt joins dread as its new best friend. Maybe you could’ve warned them, told them what would happen. But would they have believed you?

_“You’re meant to be here.”_ The cat whispers to you in your mind as you stand in the crowd of people at the funeral service, watching your lover, the new Commander, place flowers at Moblit’s grave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one was so short
> 
> Hope you're all well!
> 
> Also I have a second story with NSFW stories! It's the next part of the series :3


	7. "bakery"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a storm catches you and Hange on a rare day off, you seek shelter in a small bakery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (No warnings, just a cute date that the reader doesn't realise is a date lol)

The rain seemed to come out of nowhere; one minute the sky was blue and the breeze calm as Hange and you wandered through the streets of Trost, mostly just to spend time together away from the confines of HQ, and the next, you were both getting drenched by a sudden stormy downpour. You giggle excitedly, the two of you immediately running off down the street to escape the storm, trying to find somewhere to hide til it passes.

"In here!" Hange laughs, pulling you by the hand into a building just down from where you were when it started raining, but the two of you are already drenched from head to toe, dripping water like two drowned rats. "Oh my god."

You continue giggling, light-hearted and feeling like a child from the running around desperately. "Where did that come from?" Your voice sounds breathy, used to running long distances but not quick sprints like that. "It was like it came out of nowhere!"

Hange's hand is still gripping yours, wet from the rain, but you don't mind, enjoying the contact.

"Hey, you better mop up that mess," the owner of the place you entered says jokingly as he rounds the counter to look at you both. "Want some tea to warm yourselves back up?"

You nod, taking a moment to catch your breath and look around. It seems you've wandered into a small bakery, the walls and floor tiled with off white and light blue porcelain, a large counter to one side of the establishment with a glass front, lots of different cakes and sweet treats on show. On the other side of the room are a few tables with some chairs, table cloths made from baby pink and white gingham covering the tops. The whole place feels cute, quaint, and you immediately feel warmer just by being in there.

Letting go of your hand and softly telling you to sit at a table, Hange wanders over to the baker, asking him questions about the place and what kind of treats he makes.

Tuning out their conversation for a while as you sit at a table by the window, you sort out your wet (H/C) hair so it wouldn't drop water onto the floor too much, your casual clothes sticking to your skin uncomfortably. But it  _ had _ felt nice to run in the rain, almost carefree, following Hange through the streets like the two of you were youngsters with no jobs or worries.

The rain continues to fall as the storm rages on, the occasional flash of lightning brightening the now dimmed sky. On the job, weather like this is a bad thing, but here, on a day off with your best friend, it's just nice to experience.

You turn back to look at Hange, studying the way their mahogany hair seems to stick to their face as they speak to the baker, bespectacled eyes animated and hands waving around as they talk. You smile softly, happy to just watch them as they go about their day doing whatever they felt like. There's a warm feeling in your stomach as you continue to gaze at them. Fondness, you realise, resting your head on a hand and sighing quietly.

The baker seems to raise an eyebrow before glancing at you out of the corner of his eyes, as Hange whispers something in a more hushed tone that you couldn't catch. You wonder what they were now talking about, but Hange had already started coming back to you, so you just shrug it off.

"Hey you," your voice sounds quiet, the soothing atmosphere of the bakery making you seem almost subdued, but really you're just happy to be in such a sweet place with them. "What was that all about?"

"Ah, secrets," Hange answers slyly, winking at you over their glasses, making you laugh a little as they sit opposite you. One of their hands makes its way across the table, close enough to your own that you could stretch your fingers out and touch them. You don't. "We were just chatting."

The two of you then settle into a comfortable silence, watching the rain outside, occasionally making comments about the people rushing past the window and what they might've been doing. Otherwise, you both just observe the way the rain splashes on the ground, the sounds it makes, complemented by the thunder echoing through the sky. It’s not very often Hange seems calm, but here in this moment, they seem relaxed, carefree; you’re glad for the rain, giving you this time with the other.

"Two teas and a strawberry glazed donut, 'cut in half to share' as politely asked for," the baker announces as he places the tea cups and a plate down on the table. "The teas are free but you can pay for the donut before you leave." He addresses Hange specifically as they’d been the one to order, before wishing the two of you to enjoy the tea and donut, leaving the bakery front and heading into what you had assumed was the kitchen.

"A donut? I've only ever heard of those," you exclaim, (E/C) eyes wide with excitement, staring at the shiny round sweet on the plate in front of you. "It looks so pretty!"

The glaze is a soft pink, a small rose made out of sliced strawberries sitting pretty atop the half facing you. Just looking at it is making your mouth water, imagining the sweetness and softness of the cake.

"Go on (Y/N), take half," Hange encourages, sitting with their hands joined together under their chin, watching you with the same fondness you'd watched them with earlier. "Apparently, it's the baker's favourite."

You lift the half with the strawberry rose, carefully taking a bite, (E/C) eyes filled with joy as the sweet fruity taste of the glaze and the soft fluffy texture of the donut floods your mouth, tasting like nothing you've tried before. Sure it kind of tastes like strawberries, and you've had  _ those  _ before, but this is on another level of sweetness. Hange laughs brightly at the expression on your face as you finish your half, enjoying every bite with just as much excitement as the last one.

"Good?"

"Amazing!" You grin, licking your lips and then fingers clean of the sugary deliciousness, completely missing the way Hange's eyes had followed the motion of your tongue. "You should eat your half before I get tempted."

You watch Hange eat their half, just as enthusiastic as you if a little less surprised since they've had a donut before today, unlike you, but they seem to enjoy it just as much as you had.

Both of you drink your tea quietly, once again watching as the rain seems to ease up, less people rushing around and more just tolerating the dripping water. Before long, the two of you leave the table, and you let Hange go up to the counter to pay for the donut and the tea (despite the kind baker telling them not to), standing at the door as you wave goodbye and set back out to continue exploring Trost's streets together, a happy memory between the two of you to look back on on harder days.


	8. "it's freezing, come here"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a cadet, you have to take a hike in the snowy mountains, and the freezing temperatures at night are horrible. Lucky for you, your friend is there to share the tent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (No warnings, a mostly platonic scene but I mean, sharing heat in a tent to stay warm 😫 love that trope)

Every single day of your Cadet Corps experience made you regret joining.

But especially now, somewhere high in the mountains, a blizzard rushing past you as you hike, you find yourself cursing the child you had been when you decided to make your own life a living hell by deciding to become a soldier. It wasn't that you were close to death, per se (you did wonder if the people that had been behind you and no longer were were okay), but your extremities felt like they were ice blocks, and you were sure the water vapour in your lungs had turned to ice as every breath felt pointed like shards of glass.

You'd lost sight of everyone a few hours ago, but you knew you were on the right path, following your compass directions to a T and never straying far from the quickly disappearing footsteps of the people in front of you somewhere.

If your orienting skills were as good as you hoped, you'd be nearing the location for a camp that you were told to set up, your tent that you had to share with a teammate with someone else you had to meet up with. Ugh. You didn't understand why you couldn't have taken it yourself, but the instructor had said something about teamwork so it did make sense. You just didn't want it to.

Grateful for the thick coat you were wearing as a particularly harsh gust of wind and snow battered you from behind, you started to see the beginnings of a small campsite emerge from behind the countless evergreen trees. A campfire with a few of the cadets in your team sitting around it was settled in the middle of three tents, the fourth group somewhere behind you still making their way to the destination (hopefully).

"(Y/N)!" A bright voice calls out, with a wave of a hand from your teammate that had your shared tent that you returned sluggishly. "You made it!"

Collapsing to the floor momentarily, next to the fire, you tut as you glance to the side at them. "Can't believe you left me behind, Hange."

Shrugging shamelessly, your tent buddy adopts a small smirk as they pat your hood. "I knew you'd be fine. I already set up our tent so you can just relax for now."

There's a quiet reassurance in their voice that makes your freezing cold face warm as the other four cadets around the campfire return to their previous conversations once they knew you were fine. "Thanks. I'm still mad at you though."

Hange just laughs at you, watching as you struggle to stand back up, legs like jelly. "I'll share my rations with you, if that makes any difference."

"I'll think about it," you answer conspiratorially, ducking into the tent Hange pointed out to you and laying out your sleeping bag and placing your rucksack at the foot of it before sitting back down next to your friend. "I will accept your rations, but only if you stay with me until we're back to the cabins."

You don't want to openly admit it in front of a bunch of other soon-to-be soldiers, but being alone in a situation like this, even simulated in a training exercise with the only real threat being the elements, is somewhat terrifying to you. You can do it, but if you could, you'd rather be with someone. And the guilty look in Hange's eyes behind their specially made goggles tells you that they understand the hidden subtext in your bartering.

"Sure thing," they answer easily, handing you a cracker from their bag. "I'm gonna need your orienting skills anyway. I almost got lost on my own."

"Shouldn't have gone on ahead then," you reply smugly, biting into the food ration and grimacing at the frozen temperature of it. "Ew."

"Hold it over the fire for a few seconds, it'll warm up." Hange laughs at you and you flip them off, doing as they suggest anyway because anything is better than a frozen cracker.

* * *

Eventually, the fourth couple arrive at the campsite, citing directional problems as the reason for their late arrival, putting their tent up and joining the rest of you at the campfire. By now, you've already finished eating and are happily contented to warm up by the fire and listen to the other cadets talk about their lives prior to joining the cadets, sitting criss-crossed in front of the flames, much less annoyed at your past self for joining the cadets. This is actually nice, you dare to think, smiling softly to yourself.

"What about you, Hange?" The cadet sitting opposite you asks (you've forgotten his name, oops), and all eyes turn to your brunette friend. "Where are you from?"

"I'd rather keep that to myself," they answer, voice aloof and joking but there's a small glimmer of hurt in their eyes that you know only you can see, and you file it away to discuss with them at a later date. "I’m just really not that interesting.”

You’d beg to differ; Hange is the only interesting cadet you’ve come across since joining, you can tell they’ll be someone important one day, but the other cadets accept their answer and continue talking amongst themselves. Hange catches your (E/C) eyes with their own, and you smile warmly, feeling satisfied when they return it brightly. You've been friends since day one, when they'd sat at the same lunch table as you, and ever since then it became normal to see you both together whenever you could be. Some people find them annoying, but seeing under the protective layer of their hyperactive-ness allowed you to truly understand the many different parts of Hange that make them special, and you wouldn't want to spend your training days with anyone else.

"We should probably sleep." One of the other cadets mentions offhandedly when their conversations begin to run dry, and you all agree, stamping out the fire and covering it with snow so it won't start up again. Already you start to feel the chill of the snow still falling creep back under your skin, but hopefully sharing a tent with Hange will warm you back up.

* * *

It doesn't. Not ten minutes after snuggling up into your sleeping bag, your teeth start to chatter, the cold seeping into every ounce of your being. And if the way Hange keeps tossing and turning gives you any indication, they must be freezing too. "Cold huh?" You ask, voice quiet against the silence of the snow and the slight howl of the wind, but they hear you regardless.

"Just a little," there's amusement in their voice when they answer you, and you both turn to face each other. You watch the way your breaths mingle in the air, white mist, and it makes you huff out a laugh. "Actually it's freezing, come here."

Stunned for a moment as Hange pulls open the side of the sleeping bag you begin to wonder what they're thinking when they refuse to actually look at you, cheeks pink from the cold. But then you think 'fuck it' and open your own covers, shuffling closer and wrapping yours under theirs. Neither of you can zip them back up, but you instantly feel warmer pressed up against your friend, and you let out a sigh as your hooded head comes to rest on Hange's arm as they pull you closer.

"'You can huddle closer for warmth', is what the instructor said when you were busy tying your laces this morning," Hange offers as an explanation a few minutes after you both settle into holding each other. Your head is resting on one of their arms, their other looped over your waist tightly. Your arms are unfortunately trapped between your bodies, but your legs are tangled with Hange's, keeping you both as close as possible, sharing as much warmth as your bodies can manage. "I knew you weren't listening."

You lightly hit their coat-clad chest with a fist in response to their teasing. "I was totally listening, I just missed that bit."

"Sure. And I only wear my glasses cause I think they look cool."

"They do look cool, especially these ones," you hum thoughtfully, reaching up to tap the glass of their goggles. "You look awesome."

Hange's warm breath fans over your face when they chuckle softly. "Thanks, you look cold."

"I am," you answer as if in wonder at their observation, the sarcasm heavy but not unwelcome. "We should sleep, we need as much energy as we can manage to finish the hike."

You miss the way Hange's face falls at your words, since they had been enjoying the easy chatter and closeness, as you close your eyes and tuck your head into your hood more so your face doesn't feel as cold.

"Alright. Sleep well (Y/N)," their voice is so quiet but you'd hear it above anything else. "Don't let the frost bite."

Stifling a snort at their joke, you repeat the same to them and fall asleep, much warmer snuggled together like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long, I started writing a long story that's now at... About 40000 words? I think. Lol, so that kinda took my attention more, but I won't be posting that until I finish it, otherwise it'll stay a work in progress forever lol, so more oneshots may take a while longer. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! And have a great December if you don't! 💜

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed and that you're well and having a good day <3


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